Woolloongabba Workers Cottage Pod

Owner’s Dream

Woolloongabba Workers Cottage Pod

Woolloongabba homeowners, Kelly and Anthony, wanted a 4-bedroom inner-city family home on a very tight budget to limit debt. They needed a spacious open indoor-outdoor living area, their own room and plenty of storage for their young family. They wanted to live in the house during construction and were prepared to lend a hand.

Site Condition

Their tiny Woolloongabba workers cottage with built in verandahs was on a small lot, with very close neighbours and a sewer line across the middle of the property. The existing floor was below river flood level, and the backyard regularly flooded in heavy rain from the creek behind. Any new construction had to be 500mm higher than existing. On the plus side, it was in a quiet location, backing on to a creek, park and community garden.

Design Solution

Woolloongabba Workers Cottage Pod

New construction is much cheaper than renovation, so we built a compact two-storey pod on stilts at the back of the cottage, meaning cars can park underneath. We created a greater sense of space by opening to the light, with privacy from the neighbours. The old and new buildings are separated (to allow light into the gap between) but linked by a family entry and steps. We kept a sightline through front to back, to create a sense of space. The original stove recess was altered to allow indirect light, but not look at the neighbours. The upper bedroom has northern light and southern views, and the space under the stairs doubles as a pantry. We used the fastest, off-the-shelf construction techniques to save money. 

Anthony and Kelly organised the painting, kitchen, and tiling themselves. When the pod was finished, they moved in, while the builders rebuilt the bathroom and laundry. Using our connections, the project came in on time and budget.

If you enjoyed this project, check out this Wooloowin project.